Aerating device



Fig l R. T. GooDRlE Erm. 3,010,659

AERATING DEVICE Filed Oct. 27, 1959 Fig. Z

2l I9 32 Z6 r [l 1 f%// f 4 4 "6l /2 "l2 (37 ,.MMMMM 38 INVENTORS RA YMo/vn 1: soooR/E JOSEPH J. GOODRIE, DECEASED. BY E THEL L. GOODRIE, DMINISTRATR/X AWS UnitedStates Patent O 3,010,659 AERATING DEVICE Raymond T. Goodrie, Calumet City, Ill., and Joseph J. Goodrie, deceased, late of Lansing, Ill., by Ethel L. Goodrie, administratrix, Lansing, Ill., assignors to Wrightway Engineering Co., Chicago, lll., a corporation of Illinois Filed Get. 27, 1959, Ser. No. 849,427 3 Claims. (Cl. 239-432) This invention relates to -improvemnts in aerating devices of the type adapted to be connected to water faucets and the like.

Aerating devices for mixing water and air are now widely `known and used on faucets and other water outlets. Such devices are highly useful and advantageous since in their preferred form they produce a soft, bubbly, coherent stream which is non-splashing and which contains large amounts of entra-ined air. Various structures have been proposed for such devices, e.g. as shown in Joseph J. Goodrie Patents 2,510,395 and 2,510,396 wherein the device has a cylindrical mixing chamber provided with lateral air ports, an apertured disk for forming jets of water within the chamber, a breakup plug against which the jets impinge, and means at the outlet of the chamber for coalescing the water and entrained air.

An aerating device of the foregoing type is provided with a threaded connection or other equivalent means for detachably mounting the aerator at the open end of a faucet or other uid supply conduit. Thus, the aerating device itself extends downwardly from the end of the faucet so as to increase the over-all length of the faucet to a 3,010,659 Patented Nov. 28, 1961 of liquid being discharged laterally from the aerator and also to avoid accumulation of dirt or debris at the exterior of the aerator.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become evident from the subsequent detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FiG. l is a side elevational view of a faucet outlet having mounted #thereon an aerator comprising one specific embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FlG. 1;

FIG. 3 is -a transverse sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional -view taken along the line 4 4 of FIG. 2.

Referring to the drawing, the aerating device of the present invention is mounted on the end of a fluid supply conduit or faucet shown fragmentarily at 1'1 and having an internally .threaded open end portion 12. The aerating device itself has a cylindrical or tubular casing 13 of relatively short axial length and of a diameter such as to fit within the duid supply conduit 11. The central portion of the casing 13 is provided with external threads 14 adapted to intert with the internally threaded end 12 of the conduit 11. The outer end of the casing 13 is lformed with a radially outwardly projecting ange portion 16 which abuts the axial end surface of the conduit 11 when the casing 13 is screwed into the end of the conduit. Preferably, the outer peripheral surface of the flange portion 16 is knurled or roughened, as seen at 17 in FIG. 1, in order rto facilitate installation and removal greater or lesser degree dependent upon the size of the aerator. Various improved aerator designs have been proposed, e.g. as in Joseph I. Goodrie Patent No. 2,761,-V 662, wherein the axial length of Ithe aerating device is considerably shortened as compared with prior designs. However, even in these instances the aerator still comprises a visible appendage at the end of the faucet. From an appearance viewpoint, -it would be highly advantageous to have available some form of aerating device which is substantially concealed when mounted on the end of a faucet. Furthermore, for several sanitary and health reasons, it is frequently considered desirable to avoid lengthening a faucet outlet as usually occurs when an aerating device is attached to the faucet. For example, various plumbing codes and regulations place restrictions on the over-the-rim or overflow clearance between a faucet outlet and sink in order to eliminate the possibility of back-Siphoning of dirty water. Consequently, an aerator device which avoids lengthening a faucet outlet would be arconsiderable advantage in enabling manufacturers and contractors to comply with such regulations. In addition, the conventional aerators heretofore known have lateral air inlet ports or slots which permit discharge of liquid therethrough if the normal outlet is obstructed or plugged. Such slots also afford areas for the accumulation of dirt and debris due to ports have been eliminated so as to avoid -the possibility of the aerator. The inner wall of the conduit 11 above the threaded portion 12 is counter-bored, as at 18, and is rigidly tit-ted with a short sleeve 19 having an inwardly radially projecting abutment or flange 20 for the purpose described hereinafter.

The upper end of the casing 13 is counterbored slightly to provide shoulder means upon which are supported a baille collar 21 having a depending annular skirt portion 22 and a transversely extending disk 23 provided with a multiplicity of apertures :24 which in this instance are arranged in a circle (FIG. 3). For ease of assembly and disassembly, the collar 21 and the apertured disk 23 have a slightly loose tit in the upper end of the tubular casing 13 so as to be readily detachable. When the threaded casing 13 is in fully tightened position on the end of the faucet 11, a gasket 26 of rubber or the like is 'clamped between the disk 23 and the radial ilange 20 thereby providing a fluid-tight seal so that water under pressure from the faucet `11 is forced through the apertures 24 to provide a multiplicity of substantially independent or discrete jets which are surrounded by air, as hereinafter described, in an internal mixing zone -27 within the aerator.

A depending breakup or mixing plugZS is suspended centrally from the disk 23 and is so shaped that the plurality of iine jets from the openings 24 which entrain air in passing through the zone 27 impinge upon the plug and are broken up and mixed with the entrained air. The illustrated shape of the plug 28, which is vmore or less like that of a mushroom, has been found to give highly effective results. The plug 2S has a restrictedv neck portion 29 immediately below the apentured disk 23 Iand then an abrupt radially extending enlargement or'button portion 31 which provides the ,primary water jet breakup function of the device. The enlargement 31 has a smoothly curved shoulder or downwardly rounded corner portion 32 disposed beneath the apertures 24 so that the liquid jets mayv impinge thereon and be diverted in many different directions. The enlarged portion 31 of the breakup plug 28 may be said to have a generally toroidal or oblate spheroidal shape.

At the lower or outlet end of the casting 13 a tubular partition 36 is mounted in concentric relation within the casing and in inwardly spaced relation from the inner wall thereof so as to' provide an annular air inlet passage 37. The lower end of the plug 2S extends into the upper end portion of the Ytubular partition 36 which has an internal diameter greater than the diameter of the plug body 28 and is flared radially outwardly to provide a supporting ange portion 3S which is formedV with a plurality of edge openings 39 (FIG. 4) so that the flange has a generally scalloped appearance. An inner shoulder 41 .is Yformed in the casing 13 for detachably supporting the ange 38. The axial length of lthe tubular partition 36 is such that the lower end thereof is Vin substantially ush alignment with the lower axial end portion 16 of the casing 13, as best 'seen in FIG. 2. Intermediate its ends, the tubular partition 36 is restricted slightly so that the lower or outlet end portion of the tubular partition has a smaller internal diameter than the upper end por- Y tion thereof and thereby providing an annular shoulder these jets yare entirely surrounded by air which freely enters the space 27 within the casing -13 by passing upwardly through the annular passageway 37 and the openings 39. AsA the water jets pass downwardly through the space Y27 while surrounded by air, the air becomes entrained in the jets and the latter then impingel with considerable Vforce against thecurved shoulder portion 32 of the plus 28- Y Y The violent impingement of the water iets against the curvedsurface causes considerable splashing and breakup of the jets in lall directions thereby further intimately the water and the air. Obviously, some of the water will be thrown back against the underside of the disk 23 and some will also be thrown outwardly against the `skirt 2 2. The `splashing water may be inthe form of sprays or separate droplets depending upon the degree of breakup. Furthermore, some of the water will adherente the plug 28 as a thin film and pass downwardly along the curved outer surface of the plug to the relatively iiat 'bott-om surface thereof. lnraccordance with thenlnownrequirements for proper aerator operation, the vainiular opening, designated at 43 in FIG. 2, between the Ilower .end o 'r the skirt 2,2 and the enlarged plug por- Ytion 31 must have a greater area than the combined area of the openings 24 in the Yclisk23. By means of this relashown by arrows in FLG. 2. As the aerated stream enters the enlarged upper end ofthe tubular partition 36, further rebound and impingement may occur as a result of the splash surfaces provided by the inner wall of the tubular partition 36 above the screen 42 and the cooperating opposed surfaces of the`breakup plug 31. The'aerated stream discharges through the screen 42 and the restricted lower end of the tubular partition 36. The screen 42, although not absolutely essential to theV operation of the aerator, is desirable'v since it tends to coalesce the air and entrained water into acoherent stream and tends to give a somewhat softer ow which assists in imparting non-splashing characteristics'to the stream.

From the foregoing it'will be seen that lwhen the aerating device has been threadedly mounted within the discharge end of the -uid conduit or faucet 11, the aerator is substantially concealed from view, the only visible portion being the lowermost narrow rim or liarige 17, as seen in FIG. 1.v Furthermore, since the major portion of' the axial length of the aerating device extends axially upwardly within the interior of the faucet, it will also be seen that there is no appreciable lengthening of the faucet by reason of the attachment of the aerator. Thus, the invention provides an improved appearance in devices of this character while atrthe same time complying with good sanitary practices and health regulations. Inasmuch as the fluid conduit 11 and the aerator casingV Y13 are closed at their sides and have only the end openings, it willbe recognized that the conventional lateral air inlet ports have'been entirely eliminated. Consequently, it is impossible for liquid to be discharged laterally from the faucet in case the discharge outletisV obstructed or even completely blocked olf. Also, there is no opportunity for dirt or debris to accumulate.V Y Y Y A Although the invention ha been described with referv. ence to a particular structural Vembodiment thereof, it is Ltiouship', there is no tendency for the incoming water to collect in `and iill up the space 27. Consequently, proper impingement and breakup ofthe individualwater jets and entrainment of air therein are realized because of 'Y i theabsence ofhrestr'ictions to fluid iow ydownstream lfrom Y the openings. 24.

The mixture of commingled air and water passes downlwardly through the annular space 43. It will be noted v from'FG. 2 that although the skirt 22is spaced annularly 4from the breakup plug 31, nevertheless, they internal .diameter of the skirt 22 is substantially less than theV internal diameter'otk the tubular partition 36, the vlatter being disposed in coaxial alignment with and in axially spaced relation below the skirt 22. Thus, Ythe intimate mixtureof air Yand water which is discharged in an annu- Y llar stream through theopening 4.3is directed or divertedV into the relatively enlarged upper end of the tubular por- ;tion 36 by reasonV of therelatively smaller diameter y Ibaflie skirt y22. The aerated uid stream is discharged Y Ydownwardly 4through the center ofthe tubular partition Y, 36, as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 2, while at the t same time air may Vpass upwardly in countercurrent con-v Y centric relation through the annular passage 37,Y as also partition.,YV .A .-7 Y, j t, v "2. The device of claim Y1 further characterizedin that to beunderstood thatvarious modifications and equivalent structures may lbe resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention as deinedin the appended claims. y

We claim:

l. An aerating device comprising a tubular casing having a liquid inlet at one end thereof and an outlet at the other end thereof, an apertured disk extending across said casing adjacent the inlet end thereof, a breakup and mixbvody affixed vto said disk and extending toward the outlet end of said casing and adapted to have liquid jets from said disk impinged thereon, a tubular partition mounted concentrically within said casing adjacent the outlet Vend thereof, said tubular partition lhaving an inner end portionfof Aenlarged diameter Yspaced downstream from Ysaid relative to the direction of liquid -ow through said casing and said tubular partition also having an .outer end portion of restricted diameter terminating v at the outlet end of said casing, said body extending into and terminating in said enlarged diameter inner 4end portion of saidpartition, and an annular baiie within said casing Aspaced concentrically around said vbody and extending fromy said disk toward the outlet end of said casing and' terminating in an end spaced upstream from said inner end portion of said tubular partition, at least is directed into" said enlarged vdiameter. inner end ',portionof said tubularrpartition and thence through said restricted diameteriouter `end' portion of said tubular said tubular partition is formed at its inner end with a radially outwardly extending scalloped flange portion engaging the inner wail of said casing for supporting the partition in concentric relation within the casing and also permitting passage of air therethrough.

3. The combination of claim 1 further characterized by the provision of a forarninous element mounted transversely across said tubular partition at the juncture be- References Cited in the ie of this patent tween said inner end portion and said outer end portion. 10 2,888,209

UNITED STATES PATENTS Goodrie June 6, 1950 Goodrie June 6, 1950 Aghnides Mar. 31, 1953 Hjulian May 8, 1956 Goodrie Sept. 4, 1956 Goodrie Oct. 28, 1958 Hjulian May 26, 1959 

